Archipelago VTS Master's Guide

1 VTS Area
The VTS Area covers the Archipelago Sea, including merchant shipping lanes. The eastern boundary is Fläckgrund light, the northern boundary Hylkkari light and at sea the boundary line follows the outer limits of the VTS Area. The VTS Area also covers the areas administered by the Port of Turku and the Port of Naantali.

The boundary line of the Archipelago VTS Area runs between the following corner points:
From Hylkkari light on Isokari in position 60°57.2'N, 21°09.5'Ewestward to position 60º57.2’N, 20°46.5’E, and further to
Rannö lighthouse 60º31.7’N, 20°11.9’E
6 nautical miles from Marhällan light (60º01.9’N, 19º52.3’E)
6 nautical miles from Nyhamn lighthouse (59º57.6’N, 19º57.3’E)
12 nautical miles from Utö lighthouse (59º46.9’N, 21º22.1’E)
In the east, from Fläckgrund light 59º52.4’N, 22º 50.2’E
to position 59º55.0'N 22º 53.0'E, and further to
Förby harbour 60º06.5'N 22º53.0'E

The services provided by the VTS centres are described in more detail in the general description of the VTS operations.

2 Reporting procedures
The working channel of Archipelago VTS is VHF 71.
Reports should include the following information:

Name of the vessel

Name of reporting point

Destination

Intended route. If an alternative route is selected, this must be reported.

Required reports

upon entry into the VTS Area

before anchoring

before leaving an anchorage

after berthing

departure report before leaving port. The permission to depart issued by the VTS is valid for 20 minutes, during which time the vessel must get underway. If the vessel’s departure is delayed, it will have to request a new permission to depart. This does not apply to departures from the Aura River; see item 5.2 Port of Turku.

Vessels are required to report 10 minutes before entering, departing or crossing a merchant shipping lane.

East of Kihti lighthouse (60º04.6’ N 21º08.3’ E), commuter and archipelago ferries with an operational automatic identification system (AIS) in use are only required to report when the visibility is less than 1 nm.

More detailed information about the services provided in the harbour areas and the information required of vessels can be found in item 5.

3 Areas where meeting and overtaking is prohibited
Meeting and overtaking is permanently prohibited in the following areas covered by Archipelago VTS:

At Lövskär between the longitudes 21º 43.3’ E and 21º 45.2’ E, in the 15.3 m channel.

At Ledsund between the longitudes 20º09.7’ E and 20º10.6’ E, in the 7.0 m channel.

At Ljungö between the longitudes 20º40.7’ E and 20º42.0’ E, in the 8.2 m channel.

At Hjulgrund between the longitudes 20º22.2’ E and 20º23.2’ E, in the 7.0 m channel.

At Rönngrund between the latitudes 60º17.3’ N and 60º 16.3’ N, in the 10 m channel.

In the channel section Porokari–Saaronniemi between latitudes 60º 24.4' N and 60º 25.3' N in the 15.3 m channel.

Prohibitions 1 - 6 are not applied to meeting and overtaking situations in which at least one of the parties is a tug or a vessel whose size is comparable to a tug

The prohibition is not applied to meetings between small commuter ferries; ferry boats; charter vessels, police, customs and fireboats; buoy tenders; oil-combatting vessels; fishing vessels or harbour tugs. Small craft must however not hamper the passage of larger vessels.

Jänissaari light – Port of Turku:

The prohibition does not apply to cargo vessels which due to their size are able to meet safely. In addition, cargo vessels are required to agree between themselves on meeting.

Pansio channel, the channel section from the western limit of the Turku harbour area to Pansio oil and ferry harbour:

- Meeting prohibited for large tankers.

Additionally in the Port of Turku area:

Meeting prohibited for all vessels in the Late channel

Meeting prohibited for all vessels in the channel to Perno Shipyard

4 Speed limits

Smörgrund-Keitsor 28 km/h

Keitsor-Lilla Björnholm 32 km/h

In the vicinity of the Korpo ferry (Retais front – Holstasnäs) 16 km/h

Vessels are required to maintain a listening watch on VHF channel 11 in the harbour area.

When passing Neste Oil’s oil harbour, vessels must keep a safe distance to the harbour (marked on the map). A temporary crossing of the border is allowed for safety reasons with the approval of Archipelago VTS or by their recommendation. Vessels shall always report the crossing to the VTS.

Vessels operating according to a regular timetable in liner service have the right of way.

Anchoring in the Ajonpää anchorage area:

Only one vessel at a time is allowed in the anchorage area

Permission to anchor is granted by Archipelago VTS

The anchorage area is mainly intended for short-term anchoring, maximum 12 hours. In order to exceed the 12-hour limit, a new permission to anchor is required.

Vessels are required to report to the Port of Turku two hours prior to arrival at the port.

Vessels operating according to a regular timetable in liner service have the right of way.

Vessels with an overall length of 24 metres or more are required to submit a departure report to Archipelago VTS on channel 71. All other radio traffic in the harbour area will primarily be conducted on channel 12.

In the harbour area permission to use anchor, change berths or turn at the quay must be requested from the Port of Turku.

The port regulations of the city of Turku and the port instructions must be followed in the area.

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